OLDHAM will learn next month if its two city academies have been given the green light - but teachers' unions remain unhappy about the scheme

OLDHAM will learn next month if its two city academies have been given the green light - but teachers' unions remain unhappy about the scheme

The controversial academies are key to radical plans to transform the borough's secondary education that could see five schools closed, five rebuilt and others revamped.

Oldham Council has bid for £60m under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) which sees see private 'sponsors' - organisations such as businesses, charities, churches and private schools - contribute £2m in cash with Government making up the balance of around £25 - 30 million.

But the borough's teaching unions have this week jointly slammed proposed new funding arrangements.

The ATL, NUT and NASUWT say a Government announcement this week that sponsors' money will no longer contribute to building costs, but instead be an "endowment to be spent on the schools' educational needs" is "morally indefensible".

Spokesman Stuart Paul-ley, said: "This means that if two academies are opened in Oldham, they will be built and operated entirely using public funding. However, they would still be operated by the sponsor and would be completely outside public control and accountability. This situation is morally indefensible."

Unions continue to lobby Cllr Hugh Mac-Donald, cabinet member for children, young people and families, to ignore "Government pressure to open academies" citing concerns about the amount of control a sponsor would have over the curriculum and the academies' general running.

But Cllr MacDonald said the local authority still awaits Government clarification about funding and that unions should wait to see the final plans.

"We have an opportunity here to replace all our secondary schools with brand new ones and reshape how we deliver secondary education for the benefit of all," he said.

If Oldham is confirmed as part of the next wave of academies on December 15 it would kick-start building work in 2009 and an 18-month transitional period.

Cllr McDonald said on-going talks have given him confidence.

"We cannot reveal who these people are yet, but I would describe them as philanthropic - we're not talking about scary fundamentalists here," he said.

"They are sharing with us a vision to provide an all-purpose system building secondary schools for the future in Oldham."